John Leax (pronunciation: leks) was for many years poet-in-residence at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. His articles, fiction and poems have been widely published in anthologies and in periodicals such as Image, The Christian Century, The Other Side, The Cresset, The Reformed Journal, Christianity Today, ASLE, Christianity and Literature, Radix, Cold Mountain Review and Midwest Quarterly.

His books of poetry include Reaching into Silence (1974), The Task of Adam (1985), Country Labors (1991), Tabloid News (2005) and Recluse Freedom (2012). His novel, Nightwatch, was published in 1989. And his non-fiction works include In Season and Out (1985), Standing Ground (1991), Out Walking (2000) and Grace Is Where I Live (first edition, 1993; revised and expanded edition 2004).

Leax gives several readings and lectures each year at various colleges, libraries and conferences. He has read at Calvin College, Concordia College, Nyack College, The Kings College, Asbury Theological Seminary, Gordon College, St. Joseph's College, SUNY Buffalo and others. He has been featured as a panelist and seminar leader at Calvin College's biannual Festival of Faith & Writing.

He is a member of the Conference on Christianity and Literature, The Chrysostom Society, The Orion Society, The Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment and the Nature Conservancy.